Tim Howard, a three-time FIFA World Cup veteran, will not compete for the U.S. national team next year. (Felipe Dana, The Associated Press)

The Colorado Rapids have not only jumped up the MLS standings this year, they’ve also made a big leap in payroll, according to figures released Thursday by the MLS Players Union. A year after being ranked 17th out of 20 MLS teams, the Rapids jumped to No. 6 overall with an annual payroll of $8.49 million.

Colorado’s payroll increased almost $3.5 million year-over-year. That was led by the acquisition of U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard, who is set to make $2.57 million in guaranteed compensation this season, the 12th highest sum in MLS and the most-ever paid to a Rapids player.

The Rapids also broke the bank for Albanian winger Shkelzen Gashi, who will earn $1.66 million in annual salary. Irish international Kevin Doyle, who was the Rapids’ highest-plaid player last season, now ranks third on the team at $1.12 million.

Colorado got a bargain on U.S. international Jermaine Jones, who is earning $650,000. Last year, Jones made $3,052,500.

The Denver Post has compiled a list of the league’s top earners, MLS team payrolls, and how each team spent its money. Navigate through the lists using the links at the bottom of each page.

Colorado Rapids midfielder Jermaine Jones celebrates his first goal for the Rapids in his debut with Colorado against New York Red Bulls. The Rapids won 2-1 on Saturday, April 16, 2016, in Commerce City, Colo. (David Zalubowski, AP)

After New York Red Bulls tied the game at 1-1, the Rapids broke ahead again. Jones played a quick one touch pass to Dominique Badji into space. Badji buried the finish in the 82nd minute, tucking it past 2015 MLS goalkeeper of the year Luis Robles.Read more…

Comments Off on WATCH: Jermaine Jones’ first goal, assist for the Rapids in his debut

When Dillon Serna in the 81st minute connected with the woodwork on his 35-yard strike, Gashi was again in the right place at the right time to put the Rapids ahead for good.

After the match, Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni was asked about his team’s good fortune in their 2-1 win. Here’s the exchange:

Reporter: “You talk about existential questions, here’s kind of a luck question. The ball hits woodwork, comes right back to Gashi. They hit woodwork twice and Gashi had the headed clearance. Do you sometimes look at it and say ‘things bounced our way’?”Read more…

Colorado Rapids fell to RSL 1-0 at Rio Tinto on Saturday in a game defined by a defensive gaffe when Rapids goalkeeper Zac MacMath was caught well off his line. Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni discussed the loss after the first leg of the 2016 Rocky Mountain Cup. Here’s some of what he said:

On the first half

“We threatened their back line quite a bit in the first half. Our attacking players did a better job in the first half of trying to receive the ball behind their back four. Stretched them out, opened up the space underneath. You have a one-on-one, you have four great chances. This game doesn’t give you that many opportunities. Tonight we had more opportunities than I think we’ve had all season. To not come away with something in that first half was tough really.”

On the RSL goal by Joao Plata

“You give up a goal on a tough play like that, where there’s a couple decisions that could have been made to port that. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. We did enough to win this game.”

On if it’s tough to lose after strong defensive performance, but one mistake

“It’s tough to lose a game when you have the kind of quality opportunities that we had in this game. More than defensively. We out-shot them. We had more shots on goal. We had 10 shots inside the 18. That’s worth two or three goals from a statistical perspective. It’s not so much that we defended well, it’s difficult when you create as much as we did in the first half and not come away with something.”

Kevin Doyle poses for a portrait during Colorado Rapids media day on Thursday, February 11, 2016. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

On his way into the Rapids locker room on Thursday, striker Kevin Doyle rolled up the leg of his pants, pulled down his sock and proudly showed off the healing wound on his shin.

“It’s actually healing quite nicely,” he told reporters, showing off the layer of tape that covered his surgically repaired shin. Doyle sustained the gruesome gash March 25 while playing for the Republic of Ireland in an international friendly against Switzerland.

“He’s doing better,” Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said Thursday. “He’s waking up with not as much pain, able to get through some very light cycling. He’s progressing in the fashion that we’d expect.”

Mastroeni said Doyle’s timeline for return — up to five weeks — remained unchanged.

Doyle said in a Tweet that he planned to begin jogging Friday and hoped to rejoin the Rapids for training in a week to 10 days. Read more…

Colorado Rapids defender Axel Sjoberg (44) goes for a header over the back of Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley (4) during the second half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on April 2, 2016 in Commerce City, Colorado. The Colorado Rapids defeated the Toronto FC 1-0. (Brent Lewis, The Denver Post)

Rapids center back Axel Sjoberg has been the one constant on the Rapids back line through four games this season. The second-year player out of Marquette University has played every minute this season. The 6-foot-7 Swedish defender talked to the Denver Post this week about defending Joao Plata, finding more consistency on the back line and more.

On his approach facing short attackers like 5-foot-4 Sebastian Giovinco and 5-foot-2 Joao Plata

“It’s interesting because I’ve dealt with it my entire career. But it’s a lot about positioning your body and moving your feet. And just being smart about how close to get and when to dive in and when to not. I look at the personnel’s tendencies, like who they are and what they’re trying to do. And based on that I can get a general idea before the game of how I want to approach it and then during the game you just got to react well to it and kind of stick to your plan, and keep moving your feet is key.”

On how he approaches physical play against much smaller attackers

“A smaller guy naturally — it’s going to look like you’re fouling him more often than not. If he’s a bigger guy you can give him a little more of a push and he’ll be able to handle it better. You got to be conscious of that and it’s something I’ve dealt with over the course of my career. It’s not something I think about naturally. But when you go in for a challenge, you just got to be careful and think about what you’re doing in any scenario. I don’t have a specific answer just for small guys.”

As the one constant on the back line this season, how he adjusts to different teammates

“I think it’s been terrific because we’ve had people coming in often and slotting into different positions and doing great jobs. And everyone’s buying into it and that’s what really matters in a back line. You would like to keep consistency, especially in the back line and with the goalkeeper, but we’ve had some rotation, but it’s been tremendous because the guys that come in step up and do just as well. So, its been very easy for me and it’s a good sign going forward.”Read more…

Comments Off on They Said It: Axel Sjoberg on defending Joao Plata, finding consistency on the Rapids back line

Was Luis Solignac offside? Here’s a look at the moment when the ball was played. Watch the replay here. (Screengrab via mlssoccer.com)

Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney felt like his club got a raw deal against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. First there was the red card in the 13th minute. And then Luis Solignac scored five minutes later on a play that he complained was offside. After the match, both teams talked about the goal. Here’s some of what they said:

Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney

“I thought the goal was very close to being offside. I think it is interesting that we can determine that that is not offside. Any body part that’s on the other side of our defensive player that can score a goal that is offside. And my opinion as I look at it from various angles, I think he’s behind our back line — with some body part, he’s behind our back line. Again, it’s close and I understand there are close calls in this, but I feel like every game we’re having the same discussion.”

“It’s one of those that I think, it’s close. It’s not an easy call for the linesman. But I do think that this is their profession, this is their job and if the rule states that any part of the body is behind the back line that can score a goal, then the player is offside. The question is — and I haven’t seen it exactly — was the linesman in the right position to make the call. That will be the question at the end of the day.”Read more…

Comments Off on They Said It: Was Luis Solignac offside on game-winning goal vs. Toronto FC?